United Kingdom
www.mcbride.co.uk
Sales: $1.0 billion

Sales declined 5% at Europe’s leading provider of private label household and personal care products due to the impact of a weaker euro.

After a number of years of disappointing returns, McBride says it has entered into a “transformation phase under a new management team driving a new strategic direction.” The company’s plan centers on the following building blocks:

• Customer oriented service agreements aligned with channel requirements.
• Manufacturing excellence with customer integrated supply chain networks.
• Maximizing manufacturing efficiencies through structural supply agreements.
• Focus on the development of people, organizational capabilities and skills.

These actions and initiatives are part of its “Repair, Prepare, Grow” strategy, through which the firm says it will substantially simplify its activities, covering customers, products, processes and organization. The group has reviewed under-performing segments, and as a result, implemented the closure of the loss making Chinese activities. But not all of the company’s moves have been centered on shutdowns. McBride says it has authorized investment in Strzelce, Poland, for example.

Iain Napier vacated his chairmanship at the end of June; John Coleman is now the firm’s non-executive director and chairman.

Planet Clean is an eco-friendly product from McBride.

19. McBride Plc

United Kingdom

www.mcbride.co.uk

Sales: $1.2 billion

When a European shopper picks up a budget or store-brand bathroom cleaner, shampoo or laundry detergent, there’s a good chance McBride is the firm that has made it. This London-based firm is Europe’s leading producer of private label household and personal care products, sporting 20 factories in 11 countries. In fact, according to McBride’s own statistics, it supplies 95% of Europe’s top 50 retailers such as Auchan, Tesco, Carrefour, Aldi, Walmart and Sainsbury. In addition, McBride has a range of its own budget brands including Surcare, Clean n Fresh, Oven Pride and Planet Green, an eco friendly range of household care SKUs.

Household products account for the bulk of McBride’s revenues (80% of sales) with personal care products taking up the remainder. But the latter appears to be a growing part of its plan. In 2010 alone, McBride acquired Fortlab, a Malaysian cosmetics and toiletries firm; Newlane Cosmetics in Vietnam; and Brno, a Czech Republic skin care operation.

Revenues for its fiscal year ended June 30, 2010 increased a modest 2%, and profit after tax attributable to shareholders, before amortization of intangible assets and exceptional items was $52.5 million, up from $36.7 million in 2009. For the first half of its new fiscal year, sales were down 1% to $645 million.